As World Radio Day is marked on February 13, 2026, the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) urges authorities to regulate new technology and AI to help radio positively influence the country’s future.

Mr Timothy Bamidele, CEMESO Programme Manager, highlighted in a statement that radio remains a vital and adaptable democratic infrastructure in Nigeria and globally, despite advancements in technology. This aligns with this year’s theme, “Radio and Artificial Intelligence,” and its slogan, “AI is a tool, not a voice.”

Recognising the wider reach the radio has and its influence on the members of the public, CEMESO stated that radio reaches more than 77 per cent of adults weekly, and how it penetrates the rural and low-income communities where there is no television or internet access.

Despite the wide reach and influence of the radio in Nigeria’s media ecosystem, it was observed that the radio is struggling with financial strain, regulatory complexity, and infrastructural fragility. The statement further identified the impact of AI as a mixture of potential promise and risk, as the development continues to pose challenges to radio owners.

Highlighting how AI can be helpful for the radio sector of the media, the statement noted that automated transcription that expands access for hearing-impaired audiences, to predictive scheduling, audience analytics, and cost-efficient playout systems, AI tools can help radio stations do more with fewer resources.

On the other hand,  CEMESO further stressed that despite the positive side of AI, CEMESO observed that if there is no regulation, AI “could widen existing inequalities within the broadcasting sector, concentrating power among wealthy, urban stations while further marginalising community and campus radios that remain the closest to grassroots realities. This would undermine radio’s historic role as a forum for civic dialogue, local accountability, and inclusive participation.”

Speaking on the risks technological interference on radio poses, Dr Akingbulu, the Executive Director of CEMESO, warned media practitioners and policy makers, stating that “we must be clear-eyed about the risks. Automation in a financially fragile sector raises legitimate fears about job displacement. Algorithmic bias can erase minority languages and marginal voices if left unchecked. And the misuse of synthetic content can deepen misinformation at a time when public trust is already under strain.”

CEMESO therefore called for “coordinated and responsible action. Policymakers must use the ongoing review of Nigeria’s broadcasting framework to modernise regulation for digital convergence and AI, while easing disproportionate licensing and compliance burdens on non-profit and community stations. Broadcasters must commit to transparent and ethical AI deployment, investing in retraining and upskilling workers rather than discarding them.

Development partners and donors must recognise radio not merely as a delivery channel, but as a strategic democratic institution worthy of sustained investment, including support that makes Al tools affordable and accessible for under-resourced stations. Civil society and media organisations must continue to defend press freedom, because without editorial independence and public trust, no technology can safeguard the radio’s democratic function.

“World Radio Day 2026 is not about choosing between tradition and innovation. It is about insisting that innovation serves justice, inclusion, and human dignity. Radio has survived colonial rule, military dictatorship, economic shocks, and technological disruption because it belongs to the people. If artificial intelligence is to shape radio’s future, it must be guided by that same principle. A future where radio remains accessible, trusted, locally rooted, and technologically empowered is not only possible, but also essential for democratic life and sustainable development in Nigeria and beyond.”

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